Japan is preparing to sign a pact with Belarus that will reportedly allow experts from both countries to exchange information regarding health effects from radiation exposure and to conduct surveys in each country. Belarus was severely affected by the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Japan signed a similar agreement with Ukraine earlier this year. (Source: NHK)

The President of TEPCO, Naomi Hirose, admitted this week that the company needs to address and fix a situation in which hundreds of workers were hired through illegal hiring practices. Workers were often paid by companies other than those that hired them. In addition, many complained they received no written contracts, as required by law, and were not informed of radiation dangers of working at the plant. Similarly, a scandal was uncovered in which the president of a subcontracting company forced four workers to shield their dosimeters with lead boxes so that their radiation exposure would appear lower than it actually was. Hirose said that the issue is one that extends across the nuclear industry, and is complicated by a shortage of workers willing to take on such dangerous tasks. He implied that cooperation across the industry and perhaps even government regulation might be required to change practices. “It’s a difficult task we cannot do on our own. It will take heavy-duty work. It involves history and business ties and could even hurt the industry,” he noted.

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(Unregistered) pea_shooter
says:

The problem won't be just the safety of Japanese people, if this doesn't get fixed the whole world is in major risk. Most people living their ...

The problem won't be just the safety of Japanese people, if this doesn't get fixed the whole world is in major risk. Most people living their every day lives not knowing that if something goes wrong with the reactor their lives will be immediately changed.